Corner stitching machine



ug- 1949. P. BREHM CORNER STITCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1949 INVENTOR PETER BREHM Aug. 30, 1949. BREHM CORNER STITCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1949 INVENTOR PETER BREHM ATTORNEYS Aug. 3%, 1949. P. BREHM CORNER STITCHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 7, 1949 INVENTOR PETER BREHM ATTORNEYS turn carries the stitching head H. The head I! includes an upright guide casing l8 in which is reciprocally mounted the former and driver assembly [9 which will later be described. The head also supports the spool holder 20, on which is mounted the spool 2|. In the present instance, the spool 2| has wound thereon a relatively wide wire ribbon 22. This wire ribbon is fed downwardly over an arcuate guide 23 carried by the spool holder 2|] and through the wire check 24 between the rotatable feed cams 25 and 26. The feed cams 25 and 26 are provided with mating feed lobes 21, which extend the desired distance around the periphery of the feed cams for feeding an exact desired length of wire to the former and driver assembly. As the wire leaves the feed cams, the same is fed to one side of the head and to the former and driver assembly by a guide tube 28.

Rotatably mounted in the arm I6 is the main drive shaft 29 operated from any suitable prime mover, not shown. This shaft actuates the former and driver assembly I9 and the feed cams and 26 through suitable gearing not shown (see patents above referred to).

Arranged below the head I1 and the column arm |6 is the work supporting arm 30. This arm 30 is carried by the column l5 and can be adjustably mounted so that the position thereof can be accurately set relative to the head H, for different thicknesses of work. The work supporting arm 30 is of a novel construction as is the clincher block 3| carried thereby. The arm and clincher block will be described in detail, and it is to be noted at this time that the clincher block cooperates with the work and the former and driver assembly in a novel manner. The clincher block 3| is also operated from the drive shaft 29 in proper, timed relation relative to the former and driver assembly. As illustrated, the arm 36 carries a rock lever 32. The forward end of the rock lever is provided with a finger 33, which is received in a slot 34 in the clincher block 3 I. The lever is rockably mounted intermediate its end on a pivot pin 35 carried by the work supporting arm. The extreme rear end of the lever is provided with a bearing slot 36 which receives a rock head 31 carried by a push rod 38. The upper end of the push rod carries an anti-friction roller 39 and this roller engages a cam 46 fastened to the shaft 29. The rod 38 is normally held in a raised position by an expansion spring 4| with the roller 39 in contact with its cam 46. Obviously, when the high point of'the cam 40 travels to the roller 39, the rod 38 will be pushed downwardly for rocking the lever 32 and raising the clincher block 3|.

Referring back to the former and driver assembly, which is of substantially the same form as is now in common use, the same includes a reciprocating former housing 42 mounted in the head guide l8. This housing is operated from a cam 43 fastened to the front end of the drive shaft 29. As illustrated, the former housing is provided with a pin 44 which travels in a cam groove 45 in the front face of the cam 43. Slidably mounted within the former housing 42 is a staple driver 46 and this staple driver is operated from the cam 43 by means of an eccentric pin 41 on the cam and a connecting rod 48. The former housing 42 adjacent to its lower end carries staple former legs 49 and 50 and a wire severing knife 5|. The extreme lower end of the housing is arched as at 52, to conform to the corner configuration of the work and consti- 4 tutes a hold-down for the work. The lower end of the driver 46 is also of an arch shape or is crowned to conform to the configuration of the work corners and carries pivoted drive legs 53 adjacent to its lower end.

Cooperating with the former housing 42 and its former legs 49 and 50, is an anvil block 54. This anvil block can have its lower face arched, to also conform to the work corners and attention is directed to the fact that the front face of the anvil block is gradually tapered inwardly from its lower edge toward its upper edge, as at 55, and that this tapered face is provided with a hori zontally disposed slot 56 for receiving the wire. The anvil block is rigidly carried by a spring pressed plunger 51 and this plunger normally urges the block to its operative position below the driver legs 53 and former legs 49 and 50. The spring pressed plunger 51 is carried by a slide block 58 which isalso actuated in proper, timed relation to the former and driver assembly by the cam 43. As illustrated, the slide block 58 is mounted in the head 11 and carries an operating rod 59 having a roller 60 which travels in a cam groove 6| formed in the rear face of the cam 43.

This anvil 54, as stated, cooperates with the driver 46 and the inner face of the driver carries a cam shoe 62 for engaging the inclined face 55 of the anvil.

Briefly, the operation of the former and driver assembly, and the anvil is as follows: With the work W placed on the supporting arm 39, the machine is started in operation and the feed cams 25 and 26 will deliver a measured length of wire ribbon 22 to the head I? and into the groove 56 of the anvil 54, immediately after which the former housing starts to travel downwardly and the knife 5| severs the Wire and upon continued downward movement of the housing 42, the former legs 49 and 50 bend down the terminals of the severed length of wire (see Figure 4) to form the wire legs 63 thereon. Upon the forming of the length of wire into staple form, indicated by the reference character 64 in Figure 4, the former housing 42 and the driver 46 operate in unison until the housing 42 reaches the work W on the work supporting arm 30 and the housing serves to hold the work firmly on the arm. As the driver 45 travels down its cam shoe 62 engages the inclined face 55 of the anvil 54 and moves the anvil rearwardly until the staple 64 rides out of the anvil slot 56. At this moment, the extreme lower end of the anvil is still under the staple and as the driver legs 53 contact the ends of the staple adjacent to the staple legs 63, the said ends are bent inwardly toward one another and the body portion of the staple is arched or crowned (see Figure 5). This is aided by the inwardly directed former blocks 65 and the legs of the staple and the staple ends will ride against the inclined faces 86 of the former blocks. Upon continued downward movement of the driver, the legs 63 of the staple are directed inwardly toward one another and the driver legs 64 drive the legs 63 into and through the work (see Figures 5 and 6). At this time, the clincher block 3| is in its lowermost position, which allows the staple legs 63 to ride into the guide slot 61 provided for the clincher block. The former and driver assembly now remains stationary and the clincher block 3| is moved upwardly (see Figure 7) to clinch the legs into tight engagement with the work and the arched lower end of the driver holds the central portion of the staple against the work. This completes the operation of forming, driving and clinching the staple and all parts then return to their normal position. 'It might be noted that the-anvil moves-a limiteddistance downward with its staple during the initial bending of the staple into shape .and this is accomplished by the cam groove 6| and the operating rod 59.

As brought out in the objects of the specification, one of the salient features of the machine is the novel arrangement and movement .of :the clincher block 3|, relative to the work W, and to the driver and former and this arrangement and construction will now be described in detail.

Also as brought out, the forward end f the work supporting arm 30 and the clincher block :31 are especially designed to fully receive, support and operate on corners of boxes or cartons and this work'W is of a special character, as can be seen by referring to Figure 10. The position of the work on-the supporting arm is best shown in Figures 4 to 9, inclusive. The work W can include a carton body 68 having end-complementary cover members 69 and 1.0 which are foldable toward one another over the body. The .cover members are provided with. depending side flanges H which are disposed at right angles to the top walls 12 of the covers and depending front flanges 13. The flanges vI3 are disposed at anacuteangle with respect to the top cover Walls 12,:as can be clearly seen by referring to Figures 3,8, .9 .and 10. The machine has been particularlydesigned to effectively unite the corners of the cover and brace same at :the point of juncture of theside flanges H with the frontflanges 13. The front flanges 13 can be provided with wing .or tab continuations 14 to extendaround the corner and under the side flanges H. As illustrated in Figure 10, the side walls of the body 68 can be provided-with inclined slots 15 for receiving the front flanges when the covers 69 and Jilareswung down to their lowered position.

Such corners, as set forth above, are difficult .to staple and stitch and the present invention provides means whereby the corner can "be effectively stapled and in such a manner that the staple will extend around and brace the corner. To permit the effective supporting of the work corner, the work supporting arm 30 is provided with afront face 16, which is disposed at an'acute angle relative to the extremetop edge of the arm, and an upper curved surface portion ofa substantially inverted V-shape in cross-section. The guide slot 61 in the arm provided for the clincher block 3!, is arranged in spaced parallel relation to the front face 16 of the arm and consequently, this guide slot is also disposed at an acute angle relative to the extreme top face or longitudinal axis of the work supporting arm 30. The .clincher block3l, being slidably mounted in this guide slot, moves at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the arm 30 and parallel to the front face -76 of the arm 30. The upper working edge 11 of the clincher block 3! is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the work arm 30 and=paral1el with the lower working face of the driver 46. By forming the forward end of the .arm 30 in the manner just described, the Work corner can be accurately set on the arm :with the top-cover wall 12 flush against the outer, inclined face :16 of the arm and the flanges l3 and H over and around the upper face of the arm in intimate contact therewith.

With the corner sodisposed on the armand the .formed staple as forced through the work, theclincher block is forced :upward by the lever .32 .in the desired pathat an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the arm 30 and the flange :13. Hence the clincher block contacts the legs 63 of the staple and clinches the legs as shown in Figure 7. Particular stress is laid on the angle of the clincher block and its path of movement, parallel to the cover wall and with its working face parallel with the lower face of the driver. This movement of the clincher block is an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the work supporting arm and the path of movement of the driver.

Theguide slot 8'! for the clincher block can be made in various manners, but as illustrated, a removable cover plate i8 is provided for the extreme forward end of the Work supporting arm 30 and thefront face of the arm itself is grooved to form side guide ribs 19. Fastening elements 8!! extend-through the cover plate l8 and into the ribs '19.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a rig-ht angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit within and substantially conform to the shape of the corner to be stapled,

said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said forward end for movement in a direction which is at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of movement of the driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm.

' 2. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit within and substantially conform to the shape of the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said forward for movement at an angle substantially parallel to the angle of said end of the arm toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm.

3. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a box corner, said machinehaving staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted U-shaped in cross-section to fit within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said forward end, and a clincher block operating lever carried by said work supporting arm in substan"ial alignment therewith, said arm being formed-to guide said clincher block in movement which is at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of said lever and work supporting arm and at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of movement of said driver.

4. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a, right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V- shaped in cross-section to fit within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said end for movement at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of movement of said driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm, said clincher block having a top clinching edge disposed from front to rear in planes which are at right angles to the direction of movement of the driver and at oblique angles to the direction of movement of the clincher block.

5. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work suporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said end for movement at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of movement of said driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm, said clincher block having a top clinching edge disposed from front to rear in planes which are at right angles to the direction of movement of the driver and at oblique angles to the direction of movement of the clincher block and said driver having staple engaging edge portions which substantially conform from front to rear with the top clinching edge of the clincher block,

6. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit Within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said end for movement at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of movement of said driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm, said clincher block having a top clinching edge which is inverted V-shaped and which is disposed from front to rear in planes which are at right angles to the direction of movement of the driver and at oblique angles to the direction of movement of the clincher block.

7. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to th direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said end for movement at an oblique angle with respect'to the direction of movement of said driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm, said clincher block having a top clinching edge disposed from front to rear in planes which are at right angles to the direction of movement'of the driver and at oblique angles to the direction of movement of the clincher block and said driver having staple engaging edge portions which are substantially inverted V-shaped and which substantially conform from front to rear with the top clinching edge of the clincher block.

' 8. In a machine for applying a metal staple around a corner, said machine having staple driving mechanism and including a reciprocatory driver and said machine having an elongated work supporting arm projecting forwardly at substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of said driver, said arm having an upper surface portion adjacent its forward end and below said driver which is inverted V-shaped in cross-section to fit within the corner to be stapled, said forward end being angled downwardly and rearwardly, and. a clincher block disposed transversely in said arm near said end for movement at an oblique anglewith respect to the direction of movement of said driver toward and away from work supported on the upper portion of said arm, said clincher block having a top clinching edge which is inverted V-shaped and which is disposed from front to rear in planes which are at right angles to the direction of movement of the driver and at oblique angles to the direction of movement of the clincher block and said driver having staple engaging edge portions which are substantially inverted V-shaped and which substantially conform from front to rear with the top clinching edge of the clincher block.

9. In a machine for stapling the corners of boxes of the type embodying a work supporting arm, a head above said arm including a staple former and driver assembly movable toward the arm; a clincher block slidably carried by the arm and movable at an acute angle to the horizontal axis of said arm toward the former and driver assembly and having a working face parallel with the working face of the former and driver assembly.

10. In a machine for stapling the corners of boxes of the type including a work supporting arm, a head disposed above said arm, a staple former carried by the head and a staple driver carried by the head; a clincher block slidably carried by the work supporting arm movable in a plane at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the arm and at an angle to the path of movement of the driver, the clincher block having a working face parallel to the working face of the driver.

11. In a machine for stapling the corners of boxes of the type including a work supporting arm, a head disposed above said arm, a staple former carried by the head and a staple driver carried by the head; a clincher block slidably caracute angle to the longitudinal axis of the arm and parallel with the clincher block.

PETER BREHM.

No references cited. 

